RC-CC1101-SPI-434

RC-SPC1K Radio ontrolli

Wireless Modules

RAIN SENSOR
RC-SPC1K is an thick film technology rain sensor.
This device is realized in Allumina (AL2O3) substrate,
this material is endowed a big reliability from an
electrical thermal point of view.
The sensor consists of three parts :
1) Capacitive sensor (Face A)
2) Heater generator
3) Temperature Sensor

The Face A is the sensitivity area (capacitiver sensor)

this area is exposted to natural agent (rain); In dry
condition the value of the capacitor is nominal 100pF,
In presence of the rain the capacitance goes to high
valued respect the dry contidion; The ratio changing
is over 420%, in the table N.1 you can verify the
capacitance change characteristics.

On Face B is present the heating circuit the

temperature sensor (NTC component) and the
connection interface (six pads).
Capacitor (Pins: 1-6)
Electrical Parameters:

Capacity Value : 100pF 10%

R Value(heater) : 42 ohm 10%

NTC Value : 1K+- 10%

Heater (Pins : 2-5)

Mechanical Dimensions:
30,48mm
NTC Thermistor (Pins : 3-4)

35,56mm

Radiocontrolli s.r.l refuses any responsibility for irregular uses of the devices and for Pag. 1 / 5
any possible lack or inaccuracy of the data and reserves the right to change in whole www.radiocontrolli.com
or in part these information without notice. Rev 1.1
RC-CC1101-SPI-434
RC-SPC1K Radio ontrolli
Wireless Modules

RAIN SENSOR
Capacitive change characteristic

Sensitive area Capacitance

% Dry % water pF
100 0 100
75 25 180
60 40 280
50 50 390
0 100 >550

Table 1

On the rear of the rain sensor there is a temperature sensor NTC with a nominal resistence
value 1Kohm (25°C), it’s possible use this sensor to monitor the environment temperature.
It’s possible to control the heater against particolar environment condition as frost and dump.

With these 3 functions :

- Measure the capacitance (Table 1)
- Measure the environment temperature (Table 2)
- Heater control (Table 3)
It’s possible establish if it's raining or not.
NTC characteristic Heater Time to rise different temperature
T ( °C ) Rnom t ( sec ) °C
( Ohm ) Sensor
-5 3572 Substrate
0 2844 0 27
5 2280 15 40
10 1839 30 50
15 1492 45 60
20 1218 60 70
25 1000 75 75
30 825 90 77
35 685 105 78
40 571 120 81
45 479 135 83
50 403 150 85
55 341
60 290 Table 3
65 247
70 212
75 182 s : ation
ation a u
g ing
tom
80 157 lic ldin
85 136 App and bui l Readon
me gica mati
Table 2 - Ho toreolo e Auto
- Me ricultur
- Ag
Radiocontrolli s.r.l refuses any responsibility for irregular uses of the devices and for Pag. 2 / 5
any possible lack or inaccuracy of the data and reserves the right to change in whole www.radiocontrolli.com
or in part these information without notice. Rev 1.1
RC-CC1101-SPI-434
RC-SPC1K Radio ontrolli
Wireless Modules

RAIN SENSOR - Mechanical Dimensions

Side A

Side B
mm
mm

0.65 ± 0.10

Radiocontrolli s.r.l refuses any responsibility for irregular uses of the devices and for Pag. 3 / 5
any possible lack or inaccuracy of the data and reserves the right to change in whole www.radiocontrolli.com
or in part these information without notice. Rev 1.1
RC-CC1101-SPI-434
RC-SPC1K Radio ontrolli
Wireless Modules

RAIN SENSOR - Application

Rain Sensor
HEATER NTC
CAPACITIVE
SENSOR
Equivalent Circuit

2 5 3 4 1 6

To read the changing of sensor capacitance, it’s possible to do in two methods :

- Frequency measurements (counter mode) - Picture 1

- Pulse measuremens (timer mode) - Picture 2

5 VDC

GND 5 VDC

14
uC_Counter
1 2 uC_Comp
6
CAPACITIVE

6
CAPACITIVE
SENSOR

SENSOR

7
1

GND
GND
4

4
NTC

NTC
3

IC USED = HC14
3
5

5
HEATER

HEATER
2

Picture 1 Picture 2

Radiocontrolli s.r.l refuses any responsibility for irregular uses of the devices and for Pag. 4 / 5
any possible lack or inaccuracy of the data and reserves the right to change in whole www.radiocontrolli.com
or in part these information without notice. Rev 1.1
RC-CC1101-SPI-434
RC-SPC1K Radio ontrolli
Wireless Modules

RAIN SENSOR - Application

To make the temperature measure you can use the following schematics:
6
CAPACITIVE

5 VDC
SENSOR

uC_A/D
4
NTC

3
5
HEATER

To drive the HEADER measure you can use the following schematics:
6
CAPACITIVE

It’s necesssary a low

SENSOR

cost NPN transistor with

IC< 500mA / VCE <25V
1

for 12Volt standard bus

voltage.
uC_OUT
4

12 VDC
The nominal resistence
NTC

is 42 Ohm .
3
5
HEATER

Radiocontrolli s.r.l refuses any responsibility for irregular uses of the devices and for Pag. 5 / 5
any possible lack or inaccuracy of the data and reserves the right to change in whole www.radiocontrolli.com
or in part these information without notice. Rev 1.1